Island Mljet

Things to do on Mljet

Mljet is Croatia’s greenest island with its Mediterranean vegetation, clear and clean sea, gentle sandy shoreline and a wealth of underwater sea life. The waters around Mljet are a treasure trove for scuba divers.

Mljet is the eighth largest Croatian island, situated near the peninsula of Peljesac, Dubrovnik, and Korcula. Half of Island Mljet is a pristine National Park. There are few residents, no large towns, and only one major road.

Mljet, as well as the Pomena and Polace and all other places of the island, are the kingdom of bicycles. That is the only means of transport that guarantees safe transport from one to the other end of the island.

The seaside villages of Pomena, Polace, Sobra and Saplunara attract the most visitors. They come for the hiking, biking, swimming, stunning scenery and peaceful atmosphere that reign everywhere.

You can come to the island Mljet in many ways. The nearest airports are Dubrovnik, which is only 82 km away from Mljet and Split are 217 km away from Mljet. Mljet is well connected by ferry lines with Split, Dubrovnik, Zadar, Rijeka, the Island Hvar, and Peljesac Peninsula…

Mljet is also well known by the stories of Homer’s Odyssey; shipwreck of St Paul the Apostle, Romans, Illyrians…

Small Indian mongoose settled on the Island Mljet in the early 20th century to reduce the number of poisonous snakes. This problem has been solved: there are not poisonous snakes, but the mongoose today are the most numerous inhabitants of the island who are a real monster because they eat everything they get.

On Mljet grows over 25 different species of orchids.

Maltese dog are native to the Island Mljet which recognizes most cynological experts, citing Kalimaha Kirenjanina and Pliny the Elder in his writings interpret the origin of this breed.

What to see on Island Mljet

National Park is visited each year hundred thousand people. Entrance to the park costs 100 KN (around 14 Euros) and the ticket is valid for all days of stay.

Big Lake and Small Lake

The phenomenon of the lakes made Mljet famous worldwide. Big Lake and Small Lake and the Soline channel, which connects them to the open sea with their secrets, attract naturalists and nature lovers. The system of the Big and Small Lakes represents a unique geological and oceanographic phenomenon, important in the world. In the Big Lake is the island of St Maria. It is a natural phenomenon of the island.

Island St Mary

Island St Mary is located in the southern part of Mljet’s Big Lake. Its size is 120 x 200 m. There were found the remains of a Roman building on it and the most famous is Benedictine monastery from the 12th century. The Benedictines are the first on the island built the monastery, and then the church. Romanesque monastery was rebuilt several times. The monastery was abandoned in 1869.

Roman Palace at Polace

Roman palace at Polace is the name for the fortification unit, consisting of ancient palaces, baths, two early Christian basilicas, arsenal, warehouse for galleys and the remains of piers (now located under the sea), and is located in the village Polace, in the Bay. The palace on the Island Mljet is the third largest and best preserved Roman monument on the Croatian coast of the Adriatic Sea, just after the Diocletian’s Palace in Split and the Arena in Pula.

Odysseus Cave

According to the legend, Odysseus was shipwrecked here on Mljet. This Homer’s story for centuries inflames the imagination of many people and the most to those who wanted to find a place where Odysseus fell in love.

Experts in Homer’s Odyssey who went trace Odysseus travel found that Mljet best fits the description of an ancient OGIGIJA – island of nymph Calypso who dazzled Odysseus.

On the south coast of the island there is Odysseus cave in front of which is a cliff Ogiran. Cave is egg-shaped with a few tens of meters in diameter. It has an elevated arch, and the bottom is filled with water. Through layers of limestone which is separated from the open sea passage was created in the form of tunnels so it can be entered by swimming or boat trips. In the summer months in the sea in the cave are creates the spectrum of colours, particularly interesting for tourists and lovers of natural phenomena. During high tide the rock is covered with sea and represents a great big danger to seafarers.

This cave and the landscape around him the best fit the description of Odysseus shipwrecked. Odysseus was carried by southerly winds and currents to Mljet just because the island has a specific position in the Adriatic: whatever floats from Otranto ends up on its banks. That is why the ecological dams during southerly winds protect the coast of the island of debris that floats from Italy and Greece.

Cliff of St Paul

Another famous shipwrecked who is his salvation found on the shore of the island was St Paul. From the shipwreck was saved in 1st century, floating to the area of Saplunara on Mljet. Even today, in this place is cliff of St Paul. There is a reasoned argument about the famous shipwreck of St Paul on which are written numerous books and scientific papers. Pushed by stormy south wind, St Paul, similar to Odysseus, thrown through the Strait of Otranto in the Adriatic Sea while sailing east to Rome has found its way on the first coast that was on its way – Island Mljet.

Gastronomy on Island Mljet

Restaurants on the Island Mljet, offering a wide variety of dishes prepared in an authentic Mediterranean way, local specialties, which are part of the tradition, and are associated with the cultivation of olive trees, grapevines, fishing and farming community lifestyle.

An essential part of the menu is the Dalmatian prosciutto, cheese, dishes of fish, pilchards and seafood, octopus, squid and rich offer of wines will complement the overall dining experience.